Whether God Exists Is Irrelevant to Ethics
The question of whether ethics is possible without God is a non-issue. While many believe that without God, morality collapses, I contend that the existence or non-existence of God has no bearing on whether ethics is possible, whether moral truths exist, or whether ethical inquiry is viable. Ethics...
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2025-04-01
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| author | David Kyle Johnson |
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| description | The question of whether ethics is possible without God is a non-issue. While many believe that without God, morality collapses, I contend that the existence or non-existence of God has no bearing on whether ethics is possible, whether moral truths exist, or whether ethical inquiry is viable. Ethics is no more secure within a theistic framework than an atheistic one. I establish this by critically examining Divine Command Theory (DCT) and its variants, including Divine Nature Theory, demonstrating that they fail to provide truthmakers for moral statements, explain moral truths, generate moral knowledge, or serve as a practical guide for ethical decision making. If one seeks a way to justify ethical principles or resolve moral dilemmas, appealing to God does not improve the situation; supernatural explanations, including those invoking divine commands or nature, fail to meet the criteria of explanatory adequacy. I conclude by suggesting a secular approach to ethics—drawing from Ted Schick’s inference to the best action—that does not depend on God’s existence. Ultimately, if moral nihilism is a concern, God’s existence offers no solution. If ethics is possible at all, it is possible regardless of whether God exists. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e24bea18dedc4a25831c449173c4e71a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj-art-e24bea18dedc4a25831c449173c4e71a2025-08-20T01:56:45ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442025-04-0116555810.3390/rel16050558Whether God Exists Is Irrelevant to EthicsDavid Kyle Johnson0Department of Philosophy, King’s College, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711, USAThe question of whether ethics is possible without God is a non-issue. While many believe that without God, morality collapses, I contend that the existence or non-existence of God has no bearing on whether ethics is possible, whether moral truths exist, or whether ethical inquiry is viable. Ethics is no more secure within a theistic framework than an atheistic one. I establish this by critically examining Divine Command Theory (DCT) and its variants, including Divine Nature Theory, demonstrating that they fail to provide truthmakers for moral statements, explain moral truths, generate moral knowledge, or serve as a practical guide for ethical decision making. If one seeks a way to justify ethical principles or resolve moral dilemmas, appealing to God does not improve the situation; supernatural explanations, including those invoking divine commands or nature, fail to meet the criteria of explanatory adequacy. I conclude by suggesting a secular approach to ethics—drawing from Ted Schick’s inference to the best action—that does not depend on God’s existence. Ultimately, if moral nihilism is a concern, God’s existence offers no solution. If ethics is possible at all, it is possible regardless of whether God exists.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/5/558Divine Command Theory (DCT)moral philosophymoral realismtheism and moralityatheism and ethicsinference to the best action |
| spellingShingle | David Kyle Johnson Whether God Exists Is Irrelevant to Ethics Religions Divine Command Theory (DCT) moral philosophy moral realism theism and morality atheism and ethics inference to the best action |
| title | Whether God Exists Is Irrelevant to Ethics |
| title_full | Whether God Exists Is Irrelevant to Ethics |
| title_fullStr | Whether God Exists Is Irrelevant to Ethics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Whether God Exists Is Irrelevant to Ethics |
| title_short | Whether God Exists Is Irrelevant to Ethics |
| title_sort | whether god exists is irrelevant to ethics |
| topic | Divine Command Theory (DCT) moral philosophy moral realism theism and morality atheism and ethics inference to the best action |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/5/558 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT davidkylejohnson whethergodexistsisirrelevanttoethics |